Measurement method and system for humidity or gas concentration sensor

ABSTRACT

The method and system disclosed in the publication relates to an improvement in measurement accuracy of a gas concentration sensor ( 1 ) such as capacitive humidity sensor ( 1 ), the method comprising the steps of measuring a parameter of the sensor ( 1 ), such as its resistance or capacitance, that is sensitive to the gas or its concentration being measured, and simultaneously changing the temperature of the sensor ( 1 ) in a cyclic manner. According to the invention, the parameter of the sensor ( 1 ) being measured is measured at least essentially continuously, at least N times during each heating cycle, the measured parameter value is filtered to obtain a signal component associated with the fundamental frequency of the heating cycle for use at a later step, and the thus filtered signal component is used in the correction and/or calibration of actual output signal of the sensor.

[0001] The invention relates to a measurement method according to claim 1 for a humidity or gas concentration sensor.

[0002] The invention also relates to a measurement system for use in conjunction with a humidity or gas concentration sensor.

[0003] From U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,284 is known a calibration method, wherein a correction factor of the sensor reading can be computed by way of transiently deviating the temperature of the humidity or gas concentration sensor. This method is applicable to an automatic self-test of the measurement device at intermittent intervals. In the method, the partial pressure of the gas under measurement is assumed to stay constant during the imposed deviation of the sensor temperature.

[0004] The method is characterized in that during the normal function of the device, the reading can be updated quite frequently within the confines set by the measurement noise. As the self-calibration step takes a relatively long time and excludes a simultaneous measurement operation of the device, the self-calibration step can be carried out only infrequently. Hence, if the assumption on the constant partial pressure of the gas under measurement during the self-calibration step becomes invalid, thereby is caused an erroneous correction on the device reading until the next self-calibration is performed. During the self-calibration step, the measurement noise can be filtered extremely effectively by way of, e.g., taking a plurality of measurement values during the temperature change and then applying the least squares method to fit a linear or polynomial response function with the measurement data.

[0005] From U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,938 (Gokhfeld) is known a moisture measurement method using a humidity sensor, wherein the sensor response is measured at two different temperatures and the measurement value difference or slope of response function is directly used as the output signal of the device.

[0006] This method is not problematic in regard to changes in water vapor partial pressure during the measurement cycle. However, the measurement noise causes here a larger error in the output signal than in other techniques if the measurements are taken at two points only. Furthermore, the method involves a long update period of output signals even in normal operation, not only during the self-calibration step as is the case in the above-described method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,284.

[0007] Both of the above-described methods are capable of reducing the offset-type error that occurs in measurement devices due to their calibration error or instability.

[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide an entirely novel type of method capable of overcoming the drawbacks of the above-described prior-art techniques.

[0009] The goal of the invention is achieved by virtue of using a method, wherein the temperature of the humidity or gas concentration sensor is changed cyclically and the response on the temperature change is measured in the sensor output signal. Herein, the temperature cycle has a certain specific fundamental frequency cos. During temperature cycling, the sensor response on the temperature change is measured (typically from its capacitance or resistance), that is, the sensor response (as its capacitance or resistance change) is measured repeatedly as a function of the temperature change. Next, the sensor output signal or a variable (such as relative humidity) computed from the output signal is subjected to a frequency spectrum analysis and frequency components different from the fundamental frequency of the temperature cycling sequence are filtered away. A typical humidity sensor has an almost constant capacitance irrespective of the temperature if the relative humidity (RH) is constant. With a constant partial pressure of the water vapor, however, also the RH varies during the temperature cycling as:

RH=Pw/Pws(T)·100%.

[0010] The basic concept of the present invention is to keep the fundamental frequency of the temperature cycling sequence so low that the humidity sensor can stabilize during the changes. In other words, the sensor frequency response is adapted to extend beyond the fundamental frequency of the temperature cycling sequence.

[0011] If the temperature cycling is performed at a frequency whose fundamental component substantially exceeds the frequency response of the sensor (which may be difficult to arrange with concurrent sensors), the temperature cycling only affects the sensor's temperature dependence.

[0012] The frequency dependence of the sensor response can be detected from the phase shift in regard to the sensor heating signal. If the sensor has a fast response there is no additional phase shift. With a slow-response sensor or at a higher fundamental frequency of the temperature cycling sequence, the phase lag in the sensor output signal becomes larger. When the fundamental frequency of the temperature cycling sequence is equal to the cutoff frequency of the sensor's frequency response, the phase lag becomes equal to 45°. Simultaneously, the sensor output signal level begins to fall. In principle, the phase lag can be utilized to compute the response of an ideally fast sensor. Hence, it may be contemplated that this effect could indicate the point at which the sensor due to, e.g., soiling has become so slow as to need servicing.

[0013] The result of the frequency spectrum analysis is a basic response signal of the measurement device wherefrom the sensor output signal is processed that indicates the measured gas concentration or humidity.

[0014] The frequency analysis can be performed electrically either by analog techniques implemented, e.g., using bandpass filters or digitally through a Fourier transform analysis (e.g., by way of a FFT algorithm).

[0015] The method may also be used as a self-calibration routine, whereby the result of the cycling sequence is utilized to compute a correction to the measurement device output signal.

[0016] More specifically, the method according to the invention is characterized by what is stated in the characterizing part of claim 1.

[0017] Furthermore, the system according to the invention is characterized by what is stated in the characterizing part of claim 9.

[0018] The invention offers significant benefits.

[0019] The method according to the invention combines the advantages of both above described prior-art techniques, whereby the method according to the invention makes it possible to perform measurements in a continuous manner without separate calibration steps, yet achieving a more accurate and stable measurement result over the prior art capabilities. Furthermore, the invention can be employed to obtain additional information on the sensor behavior in order to improve its long-term stability. The temperature sensitivity of the sensor may be monitored in a realtime fashion and corrections thereof can be performed if the temperature sensitivity changes from its default value.

[0020] In the following, the invention is examined in detail with the help of exemplifying embodiments by making reference to the attached drawings, wherein

[0021]FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a system according to the invention; and

[0022]FIG. 2 shows a graph wherein is plotted one measurement session according to the invention.

[0023] Referring to FIG. 1, the system according to the invention shown therein comprises a gas concentration sensor 1 that may be, e.g., a capacitive sensor measuring the relative humidity of ambient air or a resistive gas concentration sensor, for instance. To the sensor is connected a heating and/or cooling element 2, whose heating or cooling effect, respectively, is controlled by a controller 3. The element 2 may be either a conventional resistor or a Peltier element that also is capable of cooling the sensor. A sensor parameter (such as its capacitance or resistance) sensitive to the variable being measured by means of the sensor is detected by a sensor element 4 and the measurement is advantageously synchronized to the control sequence of the heating cycle controller 3. From the measured value of the sensor parameter (capacitance or resistance) is formed the actual measurement signal that is proportional, generally in a linear or at least quasilinear manner, to the absolute or relative concentration of the gas being measured. A typical gas concentration measurement concerns the measurement of relative humidity, wherein the gas component under measurement is water vapor. The variable being measured is subjected to a frequency spectrum analysis in unit 5, either by software means (Fourier transform analysis) or using electronic filters. According to the invention, the controller 3 is adapted to control the heating element by heating pulses repeating at preset intervals and having a controllable waveform in terms of, e.g., pulse width, height or shape. The invention also covers the option of varying the interval between the successive heating pulses, that is, the repetition rate of the heating control waveform. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the temperature of the sensor 1 is made to vary in a sinusoidal manner that can be implemented using a half-wave rectified sinusoidal heating power signal. The maximum frequency of the heating power input is chiefly determined by the thermal properties of the sensor 1. The larger the thermally radiating and/or conductive surface area of the sensor I per its mass unit, the higher heating frequency is possible. Obviously, the heating element 2 must have a sufficiently high dissipation capability in order to elevate the sensor temperature during each half-cycle. Also the time constant of the sensor's gas concentration detection response must be sufficiently short in regard to the duration of the heating cycle in order to avoid problems associated with extra delays. In practice, the time constant of the sensor response should not exceed ¼to ⅓of the half-cycle duration of the heating period, otherwise special action, based on such data as the earlier mentioned phase-shift information, must be taken to obtain a reliable measurement result. The most advantageous embodiment of the invention is carried out by way of measuring uring during the thermal heating cycle essentially simultaneously both the response of the sensor 1 to a varying temperature and the internal temperature of the sensor 1. This allows the system to perform an identical frequency spectrum analysis on both the sensor response and the sensor internal temperature. Let us denote the temperature signal frequency component at the fundamental frequency of the heating cycle by t(ω_(s)) and the sensor response signal frequency component at the fundamental frequency of the heating cycle by s(ω_(s)). Then, a ratio s(ω_(s))/t(ω_(s)) may be computed that stays at least essentially constant if the temperature change during the heating cycle for any reason (such as sensor soiling or change of heating power) deviates from its normal value.

[0024] Generally, also the sensor temperature average value over the heating cycle is needed to generate the corrected sensor output signal.

[0025] The frequency analysis may be carried out after each measurement sequence, whereby the measurement device output signal can be updated at a faster rate than that of the sensor temperature control cycle.

[0026] In its simplest form, the frequency spectrum analysis may be performed as a phase-locked measurement implemented with the help of units 3 and 5, whereby the result of the frequency spectrum analysis is a signal indicating the temperature sensitivity of the sensor response to the variable being measured.

[0027] In FIG. 2 is shown a graph wherein are plotted the temperature and capacitance changes of a capacitive humidity sensor over approximately two measurement cycles. As can be seen from the graph, there is an about 180° phase shift between the temperature change response in the capacitance of the capacitive humidity sensor and the temporal change of the sensor temperature. Without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, it may be contemplated to use this phase-shift information in the detection of, e.g., sensor delay or need for servicing. In the context of the invention, the term heating rate refers to the inverse value of the time interval between two successive maxima of the sensor temperature curve that in the case illustrated in the graph gives a heating rate of about 0.15 Hz.

[0028] Particularly advantageously, the invention can be applied to transducers having an essentially linear or possibly even negligible response to temperature variations in their normal operating state. Transducers of this kind are, e.g., capacitive humidity sensors based on a polymer dielectric insulator, such as those commercially available under trade mark Humicap®.

[0029] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the heating controller is used to form at least one specific calibration cycle during which the heating/cooling effect is driven higher than the level used during a normal measurement cycle. This arrangement allows a humidity sensor system to reach either an entirely dry humidity point of 0%RH or a dew point (100%RH) or, possibly, even both of these points.

[0030] According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the strongest signal component is detected from the frequency spectrum analysis of the temperature dependence response and said signal component is used in the measurement of the variable resolved from the frequency analysis of the sensor response or, alternatively, in the computation of the correction term required for display of the measurement device reading. 

What is claimed is:
 1. Measurement method for a gas concentration sensor (1) such as a capacitive humidity sensor (1), the method comprising the steps of measuring a parameter of the sensor (1), such as its resistance or capacitance, that is sensitive to the gas or its concentration being measured, changing the temperature of the sensor (1) in a cyclic manner, and converting the measured value of the parameter into an actual output signal of the variable being measured, the output signal then being proportional to the measured gas concentration variable such as relative humidity, for instance, characterized in that the parameter of the sensor (1) being measured is measured at least essentially continuously, at least 2 times during each heating cycle, the measured parameter value is filtered to obtain a signal component associated with the fundamental frequency of the heating cycle for use at a later step, and the thus filtered signal component is used as the actual output signal of the sensor or, alternatively, in the correction and/or calibration of said output signal of said sensor.
 2. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that said measured parameter value is further filtered to obtain a signal component at least essentially associated with said fundamental frequency of said heating cycle, the signal component advantageously being proportional to the concentration of the gas being measured.
 3. Method according to claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that in the method simultaneously is measured the temperature of the sensor (1) and is performed on the measurement value of the sensor temperature a filtration operation associated with the repetition rate of the heating cycle.
 4. Method according to claim 3 , characterized in that from the temperature-dependent sensor response signal is filtered a signal component at least essentially associated with said fundamental frequency of said heating cycle for further use.
 5. Method according to any one of foregoing claims, characterized in that said filtration is performed using an analog technique such as a bandpass filter.
 6. Method according to any one of foregoing claims, characterized in that said filtration is performed using a digital technique such as a Fourier transform analysis, for instance.
 7. Method according to any one of foregoing claims, characterized in that in the method is formed the ratio of the sensor temperature value to the measurement signal value of the sensor (1) or to measurement values obtained by filtration from the measurement values of a variable computed from the sensor response.
 8. Method according to any one of foregoing claims, characterized in that the value of the sensor average temperature during the heating cycle is used in the measurement of the variable being measured or in the computation of the correction term for the reading of the measurement device.
 9. Measurement system for a gas concentration sensor (1) such as a relative humidity sensor, the system comprising a gas concentration sensor (1), wherein a given parameter such as the sensor resistance or capacitance is adapted sensitive to the gas or its concentration being measured, heating and/or cooling means (2) thermally connected to the gas concentration sensor (1), a measurement apparatus (4) for measuring the value of a sensor parameter such as sensor resistance or capacitance that is adapted sensitive to the gas or its concentration being measured, and means (3) for controlling cyclic heating of the sensor (1), characterized in that the system includes means (5) for detecting signals occurring at the fundamental frequency of said cyclic heating of the sensor.
 10. System according to claim 9 , characterized in that the system includes means for filtering said measured parameter value for further use so that the filtered signal is formed by a signal component that is at least essentially associated with said fundamental frequency of said heating cycle, the signal component advantageously being proportional to the concentration of the gas being measured.
 11. System according to claim 9 or 10 , characterized in that the system includes means for measuring essentially simultaneously the temperature of the sensor (1) and the parameter value being measured and means for filtering the temperature measurement values essentially at the fundamental frequency of the heating cycle repetition rate.
 12. System according to any one of foregoing claims, characterized in that said filtration means are implemented using an analog technique such as a bandpass filter.
 13. System according to any one of foregoing claims, characterized in that said filtration means are implemented using a digital technique such as a Fourier transform analysis, for instance.
 14. System according to any one of foregoing claims, characterized in that the system includes means for forming the ratio of the sensor temperature value to the measurement signal value of the sensor (1) or to measurement values obtained by filtration from the measurement values of a variable computed from the sensor response.
 15. Method according to any one of foregoing claims, characterized in that the system includes means for utilizing the value of the sensor average temperature during the heating cycle in the measurement of the variable being measured or in the computation of the correction term for the reading of the measurement device. 